But while talk of a first finals appearance by the Demons since 2006 has remained a long-distance dream until recent weeks, it's a lot more tangible now. Indeed, given the relative form lines of those lingering around the bottom half of the eight, some might suggest even likely.

Given that Melbourne are two games but only 3.7 percentage points behind North Melbourne, the equation is pretty simple.

If the Roos lose to Sydney in Hobart this week, then Greater Western Sydney at Etihad Stadium in the final round, while Melbourne have any sort of decent win over Carlton at the MCG then Geelong at Simonds Stadium, the Demons are in.

St Kilda could also end up on 12 wins and 48 points, but the percentage gap the Saints are conceding to the Roos and Demons now is simply too great, the size of their loss to Sydney last Saturday night as costly as the defeat itself.

There's obviously plenty of "ifs" for Melbourne to negotiate. But the Demons have done this before, and their older fans will know exactly what we're talking about.

Few September tales have been as romantic as Melbourne's charge at the 1987 finals after 23 years without even a single finals appearance, let alone a premiership.

The Demons then, under the coaching of John Northey, looked every bit the longshot they have been for most of 2016. After a 46-point defeat to St Kilda in round 17, they'd won just six games of 16, and were ninth of 14 teams, 10 points outside what was then still a final five.

But while all the teams immediately above them – fifth-placed Geelong, Footscray, Essendon and the fledgling West Coast – began to struggle, Melbourne got on a considerable roll, winning their next four games.

They arrived at the final round of the season still needing all the cards to fall correctly. But in one of the most amazing rounds, or more precisely Saturday afternoons of football the game has seen, they did.

The parallels between 1987 and now are considerable, Melbourne this time having also to journey to an intimidating away venue for their final game, win against a side with plenty to play for, and even then still having to rely on other results.

Back then it was the prospect of Footscray at the Western Oval, the winner to grab fifth spot – provided Hawthorn, at their peak, beat Geelong at Kardinia Park.

The Demons had won at Footscray just once in 11 years, and lost star forward Garry Lyon with a broken leg early in the game. They trailed narrowly all day, still six points down at three-quarter-time.

But they booted four goals to one in an inspired final term to win by 15 points. An entire support base then turned their attention to their transistor radios, which told them Geelong had led the Hawks by three goals at the last change, and still by nine points at the 29-minute mark.

Step forward Jason Dunstall, the Hawk spearhead with two goals in a minute to win the game, boot the Cats from the finals, and spark Demon pandemonium on the Western Oval terraces.

Hawthorn, momentarily, took top spot on the ladder and an accompanying week's rest. Until, at Waverley, Carlton skipper Stephen Kernahan goaled after the siren to beat North Melbourne.

That gave the Blues the break instead. And many Carlton and Hawthorn people agree that might just have been the kick that won Carlton a premiership and cost the Hawks one, the Blues prevailing on a hot and blustery grand final day four weeks later.

Melbourne would give favourite son and skipper Robbie Flower a belated finals appearance. They'd surge through crushing elimination and semi-final wins over North Melbourne and Sydney until Hawthorn broke their hearts, too, courtesy of Gary Buckenera's famous post-siren winner in the preliminary final.

They were glorious days for the Demons, though, and should North lose to Sydney and they deal with Carlton this week, expect many Melbourne fans to revisit 1987 again and again.

Until last year's breakthrough victory at Geelong, Simonds Stadium had been an even bigger bogey ground than was the Western Oval.

But jinxes were made to be broken that fine August Saturday afternoon in the late '80s. And who is to say in this season full of surprises, that for Melbourne, history can't repeat itself.